RF transceivers have traditionally been located on the ground and RF signals transmitted to/received from antennas mounted atop radio towers interconnected with the RF transceivers by RF coaxial cables. A move towards remote radio head (RRH) installations, wherein the RF transceivers are themselves located atop radio towers proximate the antennas, has reduced the need for RF coaxial cables to transmit the RF signals between the transceiver and the antenna, but has also increased the demand for electrical power at the top of the radio tower.
Traditional electrical power cables comprise large gauge copper conductors with a circular cross section. However, such power cables are heavy, difficult to bend and have a high material cost directly related to the rising cost of copper metal.
Cost and weight efficient aluminum power cables are known. However, to deliver the same current capacity an aluminum power cable requires an increased cross-sectional area. Also, a differential in the thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum material cables and that of the various metals comprising connections/connectors is a cause of aluminum cable electrical interconnection reliability issues, which increase as the diameter of the clamped portion of the aluminum conductor increases.
As the diameter of a power cable increases with increasing power capacity, the bend radius of the power cable increases.
Competition within the electrical power transmission cable and in particular the Remote Radio Head systems market has focused attention upon reducing materials and manufacturing costs, providing radio tower electrical power delivery and overall improved manufacturing quality control.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical power cable and method of manufacture that overcomes deficiencies in such prior art.